New Jersey Resident Claims $1.13 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot, Opts for Anonymity
Someone in New Jersey has finally stepped up to claim the massive $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot from March’s drawing. The winner will pocket $537.5 million in cash before taxes kick in. The winner, who chose their own numbers on a single ticket, is looking at some serious taxes. The IRS will immediately take $129 million — that’s 24%.
During tax time, they could end up paying as much as 37%. While enormous, this win isn’t the biggest in U.S. lottery history. It’s smaller than the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot from 2023. The biggest Mega Millions prize was $1.602 billion, won by someone in Florida last August.
The winner now has to choose between getting all the money at once or spreading it out over 30 years. Thanks to a 2020 New Jersey law, they can keep their name private, but they still have to prove who they are to lottery officials since the prize is over $600. Big winners can’t just mail their tickets in. They have to go to state lottery headquarters and go through several checks. This winner took their time – waiting nine months before starting to claim their prize.
The ShopRite store that sold the ticket gets a $30,000 bonus commission. “We will donate the bonus commission to Fulfill, a food bank serving Monmouth and Ocean County,” said Richard Saker, CEO of Saker ShopRites. The store’s decision to give away their commission means this win helps more people. Their donation will help feed many families across two counties, sharing some of that lottery luck with people who really need it.
